How to use noexcept in C++ or How does it work?

Question

I am unable to understand the use & purpose of the noexcept keyword in C++11/14. I understand that it is a signature for a function that does not emit exceptions. But does it really work?

Look at this code below :

#include <iostream>
#include <bits/stdc++.h>
using namespace std;
void seev (vector<int> &v) noexcept;
void seev (vector<int> &v) noexcept
{
    for (int i=0;i<10;++i)
    {
        cout<<v.at(i)<<' ';
    }
}
int main()
{
    vector<int> v {1,2,3,4,5};
    seev(v);
    return 0;
}

The above code will surely throw an out_of_range exception. So the use of noexcept here is useless, or is it?

My queries are :

1. How does noexcept work?

2. How is it used?

3. What throw() wasn't able to do that noexcept could?

Answer 1

A noexcept specification on a function is merely a method for a programmer to inform the compiler whether or not a function should throw exceptions.

The compiler can use this information to enable certain optimizations on non-throwing functions as well as enable the noexcept operator, which can check at compile time if a particular expression is declared to throw any exceptions.

For example, containers such as std::vector will move their elements if the elements' move constructor is noexcept, and copy otherwise (unless the copy constructor is not accessible, but a potentially throwing move constructor is, in which case the strong exception guarantee is waived).

noexcept is an improved version of throw(), which is deprecated in C++11. Unlike throw(), noexcept will not call std::unexpected and may or may not unwind the stack, which potentially allows the compiler to implement noexcept without the runtime overhead of throw().

For more details, please visit below websites

• https://akrzemi1.wordpress.com/2014/04/24/noexcept-what-for/
• When should I really use noexcept?

Edit: Sample source code to illustrate above points.

// whether foo is declared noexcept depends on if the expression
// T() will throw any exceptions, check in compile time
template <class T>
void foo() noexcept(noexcept(T())) {     
}

void bar() noexcept(true) {    
}

void baz() noexcept {
    throw 42;     
}  // noexcept is the same as noexcept(true)

int main() 
{
    foo<int>();  // noexcept(noexcept(int())) => noexcept(true), so this is fine

    bar();  // fine
    baz();  // compiles, but at runtime this calls std::terminate
}